This invention relates to a recording-reproducing device using a recording medium and, more particularly, to a recording-medium transfer device for transferring a recording medium for recording, reproducing or the like.
As recording-medium transfer devices provided in recording-reproducing devices using a recording medium, conventionally, devices disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 6-9097 and Japanese Utility model Publication No. 6-14317 are known.
The recording-medium transfer devices as described in those references are provided for transferring a disc, such as CD (Compact Disc) or DVD (Digital Video Disc or Digital Versertile Disc), to a clamp mechanism to allow an optical pickup to record or reproduce. This recording-medium transfer device is composed of a disc guide provided along an opening, a transfer roller arranged just after the disc guide, a driving motor for driving the transfer roller, and a photosensor arranged in front of the transfer roller.
After a user inserts a disc along the disc guide in the opening, the photosensor optically detects an insert edge of the disc and starts the driving motor. Upon receiving a driving force from the driving motor, the transfer roller rotates in a predetermined direction keeping in contact with the disc, to automatically transfer the disc to the clamp mechanism. After the disc reaches a predetermined position (clamping position) in the clamp mechanism, the rotation of transfer roller is stopped, and the clamp mechanism cramps the disc, so as to allow the optical pickup to reproduce or record.
On the other hand, when the user operates the ejection switch to eject the disc loaded in the clamp mechanism, the clamp mechanism releases the disc while the transfer roller starts to rotate in reverse coming in contact with the disc, to mechanically transfer the disc back to the opening. When the aforementioned inserted edge portion of disc reaches a position at which the disc comes in contact with the transfer roller, the transfer roller is adapted to stop its rotation in order to prevent the disc from ejecting excessively.
In the conventional recording-medium transfer device as described above, the transfer roller is driven only when ejecting and loading the disc, and otherwise is inactive. For example, when the disc is not inserted in the recording-reproducing device or when the disc is loaded in the clamp mechanism, the transfer roller is halted.
However, since the transfer roller is not a stationary member that is simply structured to fasten in the recording-reproducing device, but being a movable member which is rotatably supported by a bearing mechanism or the like, the transfer roller cannot be retained in a completely immobile state even when inactive as described above. For example, if the recording-reproducing device receives vibration from the outside, the transfer roller also receives the vibration, which may cause it to unintentionally rotate or move slightly with respect to a supporting portion of the bearing mechanism. As described above when the transfer roller moves even slightly, vibration causing undesirable chatter or the like is produced by the movement of the transfer roller, resulting in fear annoying the user. In addition, during the reproduction of the disc, sound may skip due to the undesirable vibration accompanied with chatter or the like.
Especially, a recording-reproducing device for mounting on a vehicle is used under particular conditions in which a transfer roller thereof easily vibrates. Accordingly, the necessity of an anti-rattle construction for preventing the occurrence of disadvantages as described above is increased.
The inventors of the present application researched appropriate measures to design and assemble the transfer roller and the supporting portion of the bearing mechanism with extreme accuracy so as to dissolve the occurrence of rattle in the supporting portion. However, since the transfer roller is the movable member as described above, irregularities, for example, resonance at a specific frequency due to the outside vibration and change of resonance frequency by the individual differences of the transfer roller, are involved, resulting in difficulties in designing an optimal anti-rattle construction.
The provision of the recording-medium transfer device with the anti-rattle construction by the above measures also has disadvantages that the structure is complicated and the cost is increased.
In view of the conventional disadvantages as described above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a recording-medium transfer device having anti-rattle properties and capable of substantially reducing skipping of sound caused by outside vibration.
To attain the object, the present invention provides a recording-medium transfer device for transferring a recording medium from a predetermined inserting position to a predetermined loading position or for ejecting the recording medium from the predetermined loading position to the predetermined inserting position, comprising at least one transfer roller for transferring and ejecting the recording medium, and abutment means for relatively pressing on an end of the transfer roller, in which at least the end of the transfer roller pressed by said abutment means is made of an elastic material, and a clearance is formed in the transfer roller to permit deformation of the above end which is produced through being pressed by the abutment means.
According to the present invention as described above, when a transfer roller is moved away from a disc, abutment means relatively presses an end portion of the transfer roller. The end portion having flexibility is deformed by being pressed, thereby increasing contact resistance between the abutment means and the transfer roller. In consequence, after completing of a loading process or an ejecting process, the transfer roller can be fixed to the abutment means so as not to move due to outside vibration or the like, resulting in achievement of a recording-medium transfer device having the silent construction based on the anti-rattle treatment.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.